Mattress-filling machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

J. KAPP. MATTRESS FILLING MACHINE.

No. 590,266. I Patented Sept. 21,1897.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2.

J.KAPP. MATTRESS FILLING MACHINE.

No. 590,266. Patented Sept. 21, 1897.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3;

J.KAPP. MATTRESS FILLING MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 21, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KAPP, OF DUBUQUE, IOIVA.

MATTRESS-FILLING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 590,266, dated September 21, 1897. I Application filed September 19, 1896. Serial No. 606,880. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN KAPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dubuque, in the county of Dubuque and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mattress-Filling Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to mattress making or filling machines, andamong the objects in view is to provide a machine of this character which is adapted to be adjusted to adapt it to readily fill Various sizes of mattresses; to provide such a machine wherein the filling may be firmly held in position both laterally and vertically while being operated upon by the filling-plunger; to provide a machine the operation of which may be readily controlled and the operation of the filling-plunger discontinued or begun at any desired moment, the stoppage being effected automatically, and to provide a machine which is of comparativelysimple construction and one which may be set up for operation in comparatively small space.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; and the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a perspective view looking from the front of the machine. Fig. 3 is a like view looking from the opposite or rear end. Fig. at is a perspective view showing the cover or top of the compression-box lowered into the position it assumes when the mattress is being filled. Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views, partly broken away, of portions of the machine. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views presently referred to. Figs. 9 and 10 are elevations and sections, respectively, of the eccentric, eccentric cylinder, and shaft forming part of the mechanism for reversing the movements of the filling-plunger. Figs. 11 and 12 are similar views of a part of the mechanism for raising and lowering the cover to the compression-box.

In itsconstruction the machine comprises a supporting-framework A of any suitable construction to adapt it to support the vari- -ous operative parts of the machine. Supported within or by the framework is a compressing-box, within which the filling is compressed before being forced into the mattress cover or casing. In order that this compressing-box may be adapted to act upon filling intended for various sizes of mattresses, the said box is made adjustable for the purpose. In the present instance I employ a box B, the same comprising longitudinal bars bent up to form sides B B, which are secured to four blocks B 13 two at each end of the machine, and which blocks have threaded openings through which work the screw-rods G, extending transversely of the machine and supported in bearings c, secured to the uprights aof the machine. Upon each screw-rod is secured a sprocket-wheel D, and over said sprocket-wheels passes an endless sprocketchain E. One of the screw-rods'carries at one end a crank-handle F, so that by turning the latter in one or the other direction the sides of the compressing-box will'be adjusted toward or from each other, whereby the adjustable feature of the box is attained for the purpose hereinabove stated.

Adapted to cooperate with the sides of the box in confining the filling in position whilebeing compressed and also to assist in such compression is a horizontally-arranged cover G, which is also adjustable in width to adapt it to cooperate properly with the sides of the box in their different adjustments. The said cover comprises longitudinally-arranged bars G G, having transverse openings at the ends, and also intermediately-arranged bars G similarly perforated. Rods G pass loosely through the openings in the bars G G, the ends of said rods terminating against the inner faces of uprights a of the machine-frame, but adapted to move vertically therebetween.

The rods G also pass loosely throughopenings in the intermediate bars G,.the latter being secured to transverse bars g, which are,

adapted to be raised and lowered in the frame.

To the bars GG at the sides are attached U -shaped hooks or sim ilar devices g g, which when the cover is lowered within the sides of the box are adapted to engage over the upper edges of said sides, as seen plainly in Fig. 4. It will thus be seen that when the cover is lowered and the hooks are in engagement with the sides of the box the adjustment of the sides either toward or from each othereffects simultaneously a similar adjustment of the bars G G.

For the purpose of closing the space between the bars of the cover as much as possible to present a proper bearing-surface to the filling and also close the space between the bars of the bottom of the box I employ pieces of sheet-steel, tin,- or zinc G attached to the bars G and sides B and extending 10ngitudinally of the machine. At the exit end of the machine-that is to say, at the end where the compressed filling is forced into the inattress-coverthe pieces of steel, tin,or zinc attached to the cover are bent downwardly, while those attached tosides B are bent upwardly, thus forming a chute or guideway for the passage of the compressed filling. For the purpose of feeding the filling within the box I employ a horizontally-movable plunger H, adapted to be reciprocated within the box. This plunger may be of any desired construction suitable for the required purpose, and in thepresent instance it comprises a verticallyarranged plate I, arranged transversely of the compression-box and of suitable width and height. To the plate I are secured diagonal brace-rods I, secured to the longitudinal bar I secured to plate I, and which plunger is by.

any suitable rigid connection secured to an operating-chain J, which imparts reciprocating movements to the plunger in the manner presently described, and said chain passing over sprocket-wheels 0 and 0 I In order that the filling may be prevented from being pushed out of the compressionbox before being properly compressed, I provide means for retaining said filling within the box during compression. This means consists, preferably, of a board or gate K, which extends transversely of the box near the exit end thereof and extending loosely through openings provided in the uprights of the frame, as at K. Thus the plunger may be operated to compress the filling between it and the gate until the desired degree of compression has been reached, when said gate may be pushed endwise to clear the end of the box to permit the plunger to force the filling into the mattress, this removal of the gate being effected without stopping the movement of the plunger.

For the purpose of raising and lowering the cover G, I provide the following mechanism: Ropes M are provided, which at one end are attached to one of the cross rods or bars g and thence pass upwardly and over'pulleys M, supported in blocks m, secured to the machine-frame, and thence pass across to the opposite end of the machine and around a Windlass-shaft M and downwardly to the other cross-bar g.

The Windlass-shaft is provided at one end with a pinion m, gearing with a worm-wheel m on the upper end of a shaft 172 whose lower end carries a friction bevel-wheel m adapted to gear by friction with either of the frictionwheels m m upon the drivingshaft M mounted in suitable bearings in the machineframe, which wheels m m are adapted to be operated by the following means: M is an arm integral with an eccentric cylinder MQ, loosely arranged within a box M and through which cylinder and arm the shaft m loosely passes. By throwing the arm M in one or the other direction the eccentric cylinder throws the shaft wa laterally sufiiciently to cause the wheel m" to engage with either the wheel m or m When engaged with one of said wheels, the cover G may be lowered, and when engaged with theother wheel said cover may be raised. By thus operating the cover it can be raised out of the way, permitting the proper amount (either by weight or measure) of filling to be introduced into and properly arranged within the box A and said cover then lowered into position preparatory to the compressing and filling operation.

For increasing the downward pressure upon the filling by giving additional weight to the cover I may place weights m upon said cover.

For operating the plunger I employ the following mechanism: N indicates a cam or eccentric cast with an eccentric cylinder N loosely mounted in a box N and O is a shaft passing loosely through the cylinder and cocentric, which shaft carries a worm 0, meshing with a pinion O on a shaft 0 carrying a sprocket-wheel 0 over which passes the chain J, secured to the plunger. The shaft 0 carries a friction bevel-wheel 0 with which is adapted to be brought into frictional engagement either the bevel-wheel O or like wheel 0 on the driving-shaft M ing the arm N for the purpose of causing the eccentric cylinder to throw the shaft laterally to cause wheel 0 to frictionally engage with wheel 0 or O a rod 0 is pivotally secured at one end to the arm N and at the opposite end is similarly secured to a rod N pivoted intermediate its ends at N and secured to a shifting lever N adapted to have a transverse movement, to thereby bring the wheel 0 into engagement with the wheels 0 For rock- 0 to thus reverse the direction of rotation of shaft 0 and permit the plunger to have a movement in one or the other direction.

To limit the extent of movement of the plunger in either direction automatically, which limitation becomes necessary when the filling is introduced into the mattress, I employ the following means: P indicates a rail arranged'parallel with and adjacent to the chain J and adapted to slide within suitable guides or angle-irons P, and resting upon supporting-rails P carried bythe frame projecting inwardly from the ends of rail P, are stops P P, which extend downwardly below the lower edge of the rail P in line with and adapted to be struck by extensions P P, secured to the chain at appropriate distance apart. To the rail P adjacent to the stops P P is secured one end of wire rods Q Q. The opposite ends of the wire rods pass loosely into openings in the cross-bar Q of the frame from opposite sides thereof. The cross-bar Q is provided with a longitudinal slot Q within which the operating-lever N is adapted to operate, which lever is provided with perforations or notches q q, with which notches the ends of the wire rods and the catch-pin (1 carried by the cross-bar, are adapted to engage at diiferent times in the manner presently explained.

The operation of the mechanism just de scribed for limiting the movements of the plunger forward and backward is as follows: Vhen the plunger has reached its rearward limit, (toward the rear or exit end of the machine,) which limit is governed by the location of the stop P, the extension P on the chain J strikes and pushes forward said stop, thereby pushing the rail P forward also, and this causes the end of the wire rod Qto nearly free its opening in the cross-bar Q and entirely free the notch q, thus leaving the slot clear. Priorto this movement of the parts the spring S, attached at one end to the lever or rod N and at the opposite end to the machine-frame, had been distended, and said spring will now pull the lever N in the direction of the catchpin which then engages the notch q, thus holding the lever N in position, with the beveled wheels 0 and 0 out of gear, and thus arresting the rearward movement of the plunger. The operator now pulls the lever still farther until wire rod Q engages perforation q, thus effecting frictional engagement of the bevel-wheels 0 O distending spring S, which is secured at one end to the lever N at the side opposite to spring S and at the other end to the machine-frame, and causing the plunger to move in the opposite directionthat is, toward the front end of the machineuntil the stop P is struck by the extension P ,which causes rod Q to be pulled out of opening q, and the spring S, which had previously been distended, then moves the end of the lever N to cause the rod Q to again engage perforation q, thus putting the gear-wheels O 0 out of gear and stopping the forward movement of the plunger. Thus between each automatic stoppage of the move ment of the plunger the operator moves the lever N to eifect the engagement of the bevelwheel 0 with wheel 0 or 0 as the case may be, to give reverse movements to the plunger.

W'hat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mattress-filling machine, a compression-box having sides adjustable laterally to vary the width of the box, and a cover adapted to be raised and lowered and adjustable in width, and means for coupling the cover to the sides of the box for the purpose described,in combination with means for operating the cover comprising pulleys, a Windlassshaft supporting ropes secured at opposite ends to the cover and passing over the pulleys and Windlass-shaft, a gear-wheel on said shaft, a shaft carrying at its upper end a worm meshing with said gear-wheel, a friction bevel-wheel at the lower end of the shaft, a rotatable driving-shaft and friction bevelwheels thereon, and shifting devices adapted to bring either of the latter wheels into frictional engagement with the bevel-wheel on the lower end of the shaft carrying the worm.

2. In a mattress-filling machine, the combination with a compression-box, of a horizontallyreciprocating plunger operating therein, an endless chain connected with the plunger, transverse shafts carrying sprocketwheels over which said chain passes, a rotatable driving-shaft, friction bevel-wheels on the driving-shaft, a longitudinally-arranged shaft, gearing between the latter shaft and one of the transverse shafts, a friction bevelwheel on the said longitudinal shaft, and means for effecting frictional engagement between the bevel-wheel on the said longitudinal shaft and either of the bevel-wheels on the driving-shaft.

3. In a mattress-filling machine, the combination with a compression-box, of a horizontally reciprocating plunger operating therein, an endless chain connected with the plunger, transverse shafts carrying sprocketwheels over which said chain passes, a rotatable driving-shaft, friction bevel-wheels on the driving-shaft, a longitudinally-arranged shaft, gearing between the latter shaft and one of the transverse shafts, a friction bevelwheel on the said longitudinal shaft, the arm, the eccentrically-arranged cylinder through which said longitudinal shaft passes, a transversely-movable shifting lever, a rod connected at one end with said lever, and a rod joining the opposite end of the rod with the arm.

4:. In a mattress-filling machine, the combination with a compression-box, of a plunger adapted to reciprocate therein, an endless sprocket-chain secured to the plunger, transverse shafts carrying sprocket-wheels over which said chain passes, a rotatable drivingshaft, friction bevel-wheels on the drivingshaft, a longitudinally-arranged shaft, gearing between the latter shaft and one of the transverse shafts, a friction bevel-wheel on said transverse shaft, a transversely-movable lever having notches, connections between the lever and the adjustable bevel-wheels,'a longitudinally-arranged movable rail carrythe notches, as described.

W'itnesses:

JAMES PLAISTER, ALEX. SIMPLOT.

cent ends of the rods and adapted to engage In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN KAPP. 

